As you know, the American Association of University Women (AAUW) was founded in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1881. At that time, the percentage of Bachelor’s degrees held by women was 17.3% and master’s degrees was 19.1%. Frankly, I am surprised those percentages were so high given the barriers women faced in pursuing higher education.
Fast-forward to 2025, and women earned approximately 59.8% of bachelor’s degrees and 63.6% of master’s degrees. What an extraordinary change! AAUW and generations of women committed to educational equity have much to celebrate. But these achievements raise an important question: Is the opportunity for education truly available to all women and girls?
Although women have made tremendous educational gains, access to educational opportunities remains unequal. Women and girls facing poverty, racial discrimination, or family responsibilities often face additional barriers.
Poverty: Tuition, transportation, books, computers, and internet access can put education out of reach.
Family responsibilities: Caring for children or relatives while earning an income can interrupt schooling or make college attendance difficult.
Geographic isolation: Rural communities may offer fewer educational programs, colleges, and transportation options.
Discrimination and safety concerns: Gender-based violence, harassment, early marriage and pregnancy can interfere with school attendance and completion.
Disability: Inaccessible facilities, technology, and learning materials can limit educational participation.
Limited access to technology: Without reliable internet or a computer, students may struggle to complete assignments and pursue online learning.
Here in the United States, the cost of higher education, student debt, childcare responsibilities and unequal access to opportunities continue to create barriers for many women. These challenges remind us that AAUW's mission is not simply to celebrate how far women have come, but to help ensure that girls and women—regardless of their economic circumstances—have the opportunity to learn, achieve and lead.
Perhaps the most important question is not how far women have come since AAUW was founded, but how far we are willing to go to help those who have been left behind. We can start by asking questions, listening to our community, seeking out opportunities to help those less fortunate. Each of us has something to contribute—our time, our knowledge, our resources, or our willingness to open a door for someone else.
We don't have to change the world all at once. We can begin by planting a seed: encouraging one girl, supporting one student, or helping one woman see a possibility she hadn't imagined. Through our collective efforts, those seeds can grow into opportunities that change lives.
Gail Wakefield
